Surgical swab



W. H. SHARP.

SURGICAL SWAB. APPLICATIONQFILED Aue.23, 19:8.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921;

, g as PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SHARP, OF CI-EZCAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BAUER 85 BLACK, OF CHTUAG-O, ILLINQIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SURGICAL SWAIB.

Application filed August 23, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wrnnmn H. SHARP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Swabs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of an inexpensive and effective sun gical swab adapted to contain a small quantity of a cleansing, healing, or antiseptic liquid which, when released, is delivered through a brush whereby it may be directly applied to the surface to be treated.

More particularly my invention aims to simplify and improve the construction of surgical swabs and to reduce the cost of manufacture by limiting the fabric employed to the formation of the brush and securing the brush to the container in a novel manner which insures a permanent connection.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the swab;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the swab; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the swab.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates an elongated container for the liquid which is preferably constructed of glass although other friable materials may be employed. The end of the container is drawn to provide a constricted neck 6 and is sealed at 7 to retain the liquid.

The brush 8 may be of any suitable fabric such as gauze and consists of a strip wound about and securely fastened to the neck 6 and shoulder 9 of the container and tied just beyond the seal 7 by a cord 10. The free end 8 of the brush forms the applicator portion of the brush.

In applying the strip of fabric the neck 6 and shoulder 9 of the container are dipped or otherwise coated with a suitable adhesive such as water glass 11. The strip is then wrapped about the container as indicated in the drawings, the water glass saturating the fabric and hardening to firmly cement the fabric to the glass. The water glass has Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Serial No. 251,093.

the advantage as a cementing material of being not subject to deterioration under varying climatic conditions and unaffected by the liquid when released from the container.

The portion of the fabric at the shoulder 9 is finally saturated with a liquid resistant composition consisting preferably of paraffin and beeswax in substantially equal proportions which prevents the liquid, when released from the container, from creeping back through the fabric. Thus all of the liquid is conserved in the applicator portion of the brush. The composition of paraflin and beeswax has asufliciently high melting point to remain solid under all conditions of temperature to which the swab is likely to be subjected in use.

A label may be applied to that portion of the container which is not covered by the fabric giving a finished appearance to the product and carrying the necessary directions for use.

Obviously various changes may be made in the form, arrangement, and construction of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely the preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A surgical swab comprising a liquid container having a constricted end adapted to be broken to release the liquid and a shoulder back of said end, a fabric wrapping arranged over said constricted end and forming a brush, and a coating of waterglass uniting said constricted end and said wrapping, whereby, when said end is broken the fragments of the container will adhere to said wrapping.

2. A surgical swab comprising a liquid container having a constricted end adapted to be broken to release the liquid, and a shoulder back of said end, a fabric wrapping extending outwardly beyond said constricted end and terminating back of said shoulder, and a liquid resistant coating saturating the rear end of said wrapping, said wrapping being secured to the container, over and adjacent said shoulder and constricted end, by a waterglass solution which prevents discharge of the fragments of said end, when broken, with the contents of the container.

A surgical swab comprising a liquid ticn of said brush to secure the brush to the container having a constricted end adapted Vr011ta1ner, and a liquid reslstant coating on to be broken to release the liquid and a the rear end 01'? the wrapplng'.

shoulder back of said end, an applicator WILLIAM H. SHARP. brush of textile iELbIlC arranged over said Witnesses: constrlcted end, a coating of waterglass 011 THOMAS P. HAMILTON,

said constricted end and saturating a p0r MAUmcE L. HELLER. 

